Movable bulkhead



Dec. 3, 1963 E. s. CISCO MOVABLE BULKHEAD 3 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed Hargh14, 1960 llllll llll I! 9 INVENZOR.

d5 645cc 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 E. S. CISCO MOVABLE BULKHEAD Filed March 14,1960 Dec. 3, 1963 INVENTQR. E'cfwardfwca Maw 1%? Dec. 3, 1963 E. s.CISCO MOVABLE BULKHEAD 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 14, 1960 lklll. ll.II UHMP' INV EN TOR.

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United States Patent 3,112,712 MUVABLE Edward fi. @isco, Highland, End,to Stanray orporation, Chicago, 35., a corporation of Delaware FiledMar. 14, Edit, ei'. No. 14,634 3 Claims. ('Cl. res-s76 This inventionrelates to improvements in railway equipment and has particularreference to improvements in movable bulkheads for railway gondola cars.The invention of course is applicable to other types of cars utilizing abulkhead for separating a load into less than carload lots, or forstabilizing a load during transit.

Generally speaking, gondola cars, having movable bulkheads therein, areequipped along the side walls with two continuous long members, usuallyangles, a pair adjacent the upper corner of the bulkhead and a pairadjacent the lower corner of the bulkhead. The angles are placed with avertical flange secured to the ide wall and with the horizontal flangesprojecting inwardly in spaced relation. Consequently there are our ofthese angles at each side of the car, or eight per car, and they extendfrom end to end of the car. At the upper and lower corners of thebulkhead there are members which project from the bul head between thehorizontal flanges of these angles. The members are provided withrollers to roll on the lower angle of the pair. In my invention, 1 usebut two angles at each side of the car, which reduces the weight andcost of said angles in half. A pair of members at the upper corner andthe lower corner or" the bulkhead overlap and underlap the angles, andaccomplish the same purpose as the more costly installations heretoforeused and known to applicant.

There are many movable bulkheads for railway cars of the open-top type,all of which have objections, and the objection most common to all ofthem is their high cost. The movable bulkhead herein shown and describedcan be produced at a reasonable cost in comparison to the roller typebulkheads on the market. Simplicity of design and economy inmanufacturing costs are therefore the principal objects of theinvention.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple and eflective meanscooperatively associated with the bulkhead and the walls of the car toreleasably lock the bulkhead in any of its adjusted positions.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in thefollowing description thereof.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing forming part of thisapplication, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts,

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a bulkhead, partly broken away, installedbetween side walls of a car, and embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial top plan view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section on line 33, FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a section on line 44, FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a section view showing the manner of application of the stopblocks to the bulb angle belt rail.

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of a modified bulkhead per se.

FIG. 7 is an end view of FIG. 6.

Referring to the modification shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, 2 indicates theside wall sheathing of a gondola or other type of open-top railroad car,and 4 shows the bulb angle top chord of the side walls of the car.Extending longitudinally along the upper inner margin of each side wall2 of the car is installed a bulb angle, having a flange s secured tosaid margin, and a horizontal flange 7 extending inwardly from wall 2,which flange '7 terminates in a bulb 3. Also extending longitudinallyalong the lower margins of the side walls 2 are bulb angles, likewisehaving vertical flanges 19, secured to said margins, horii atented Dec.3, 1963 zontal flanges 12 extending inwardly from said margins andterminating in a bulb 14.

The bulkhead itself is composed of a rectangular sandwich of two spacedsheets 12 and 14 of flat material having a suitable core of strong butlightweight material therebetween. Sheet 14 is provided with flanges l3and 2t? extending normally from the top and bottom side edges of thesheet and spanning the distance between the sheets to form the top andbottom of the bulkhead. The sheet 12 is provided with a plurality ofrandomly spaced openlugs 13 so that sheet 12 may be plug-welded to thecore of the bulkhead. The openings are randomly spaced and the core isof such nature that a concentrated load at any point on the bulkheadwould be distributed by the core throughout the bulkhead and prevent:the bulkhead from buckling along a vertical or horizontal line passingthrough the center of the load. To provide stiffness for the bulkhead inthe area of the corners thereof I have provided short pieces of angleiron 26 installed in the bulkhead where it is attached to sheet 12 andto sheet 14. The angle irons 26 run for a short distance inwardly toreinforce the corner area supporting the corner brackets for attachingthe bulkhead to the car.

The bulkhead Width is just suflicient to fit between the bulbs S and 14of the bulb angle side rails and move longitudinally along the car,extending crosswise of the car.

Within the bulkhead shown in the modification comprising FIGS. 6 and 7,the core is formed of corrugated strips 11 extending horizontally fromside to side of the bulkhead. The corrugated strips 11 are secured alongone edge to the rear cover plate 14 and along the other edge to one faceof the straps 16 as seen in FIGURE 7. The other face of straps 16 iswelded to the front cover plate 12 through the plug holes or openings13' therein. The openings 13 are randomly spaced within the limits ofthe width of the straps 16, as shown in FIGURE 6, thus providing anextremely strong bulkhead panel to resist concentrated loads caused bylading tending to shift thereagainst. To prevent the bulkhead frombuckling on a horizontal line between an adjacent pair of the corrugatedstrips, there are provided reinforcements 15 extending between the frontand rear plates of the bulkhead. Rein-forcements 15 are also spacedthroughout the bull head, and the space between each pair of adjacentcorrugated strips 11 is provided with at least two such reinforcements.More of these reinforcements 15 are located in and around the center ofthe bottom of the bulkhead where the greatest forces are exertedthereagainst, and consequently obtain the highest efficiency of the unitand the best advantage of loading conditions.

In both modifications approximately midway of the top edge of thebulkhead is secured a clevis 28 lfOl' convenient attachment of the hookof a chain hoist or crane in lifting the bulkhead into or out of thecar.

At the upper outer corners of the bulkhead are roller supporting brackethousings indicated generally at A. Each housing is a fabricatedstructure comprising a no tang'ular plate 3% which is secured to andcovers the upper margin of the end of the bulkhead 12. The plate 3% iswider than the thickness of the bulkhead 12, extending laterallytherebeyond and in FIGURES 1-5 is braced by diagonal :plates 32, eachfixed along one edge to the edge of the plate 3%, and along the otheredge to a side of the bulkhead inwardly from the end thereof. Braces 32are unnecessary in the modification of FIG. 6. Plate 36 forms the backof the housing A. The ends of the housing are flat parallelogram shapedplates 34, one end edge of each of which is secured to the edge of plate39'. The front and top of the housing comprises an angular plate havinga vertical flange 36 spanning the space between the forward edges of theends 34- of the housing,

and a substantially horizontal flange 38 issuing from the top of theflange 36 and extending to the plate 3%. The bottom of the housing is aflat plate, indicated at which plate is 6-shaped as shown in dottedlines in FIG. 2. At the rear edge of the cut-out portion of the plate4%} is secured so as to extend upwardly normal thereto the plate 42. Thefront Wall 36 and plate 42 are provided with registering holes throughwhich extend the ends of a cylindrical bar or shaft 44 upon which isrollably mounted a roller 46 which rolls in the flange 7 of the bulbangle belt rail. Thus there is provided a fabricated roller housing openat the bottom only sufliciently for the lower segment of the roller 4-5to extend therethrough and contact flange 7. The housings A areidentical in structure and when the bulkhead is mounted in the car asshown in FIG. 1 the bulb angles support the entire weight of thebulkhead and provide the rails on which it rolls.

At the lower outer corners of the bulkhead are provided similar housingsB, identical in all respects to housings A except that housings B arenot provided with rollers. These housings B are positioned at the lowerouter corner areas of the bulkhead, are composed of like fabricatedparts, with the exception that the rollers are omitted, and the bottomof each housing is a rectangular plate. These housings B are located soas to project over the lower bulb angle web 12 as shown in PEG. 1. Therespective parts of the housings B, which are identical to like parts ofhousings A, are given the the same reference numerals and are notdescribed here as it would be mere duplication.

It will be noted that the rectangular plates 39 secured to the ends ofthe bulkhead, extend below the associated bulb angle. Secured to thesides of the lower margin of each plate 38 is a downwardly facingchannel member having side flanges 59, the inner edges of which overlapand are secured to the edges of the plates 36, as clearly indicated inFIG. 1. The web 52 of this channel member is disposed parallel to thebottom of flange :12 of the associated bulb angle and spaced therefrom adistance slightly more than the height of the bulb of the associatedbulb angle. The distwce between the angle and the associated bul-g angleis the dist-ancethe bulkhead may move vertically, and when they are incontact, as for example by lifting the bulkhead vertically by the clevis28, the bottom of the rollers will be slightly above the top of the bulbof the bulb angles, and the bulkhead can then be swung about the clevisas a pivot until the roller and its housing are free from the bulbangle. The channel members under the bulb angles provide safety means toprevent the bulkhead, due to rough track or service movements of thecar, from jumping ofl the track.

The horizontal flanges of the bulb angle side rails are provided withspaced openings 55 therealong to cooperate with stop blocks indicatedgenerally at C to hold the bulkhead in a selected position along thecar. These step blocks are shown as comprising a casting, but, like thehousings A and B, could be fabricated. Stop blocks C are generallyC-shaped in cross section and comprise spaced flanges 60 and 62 and web64. The ends of flange 60 are provided with upstanding reinforcements66, and likewise the ends of the flange 62 are provided with downwardlyextending reinforcements 68. The forward longitudinal edge of the spacedflanges 60 and 62 are provided with downturned flanges 7t and 72,respectively.

Flange 70 and the bulb 8 of the associated bulb angle "are the sameheight. The distance between the edge of flange 7G and top of flange 62is the least that will still permit the stop block to be applied andremoved to and from the bulb angle by applying flange 71} in the throatof the bulb 8 and flange 7 of the associated bulb angle and rotating thestop block as shown in PEG. 5. The flanges 60 and 62 are provided withspaced axially alined holes 74 and 76 respectively, and, when any ofthese holes also register with a hole 56 in the bulb angle, a pin 7:;

may be applied through said registering holes and thereby hold the stopblock in that position on the bulb angle. It will be noted that when thestop blocks are slid longitudinally along the bulb angles until theyengage the houslugs A of the bulkhead on opposite sides thereof, andpins 73 are engaged in the registering holes, the blocks make aneflective barrier to movement of the bulkhead. Also it will be notedthat when the stop blocks engage the housings A and B it is thereinforcing flanges as and 68 which engage the side walls 34 of thehousings A and B and the side walls 50 of the lower channel members,respectively. This provides substantifl surface abutment, reducing thepossibility of fracture, etc.

From the foregoing it should be apparent how the device operates.

The bulkhead is lifted by a crane by grabbing hook 28 and raising thebulkhead over a side into the car, with the bulkhead extendinglongitudinally of the car. It is then lowered until the bottom of therollers 46 are just above the horizontal plane of the top of the bulb 8of the bulb angles. Then the bulkhead is swung on clevis 2% as a 7pivot, and, when the bulkhead assumes a position transversely of thecar, the rollers 'Will have moved over the bulbs S of the upper bulbangles, when the crane may lower the bulkhead slightly or until therollers are in engagement with the flanges 7 of the bulb angles. Thebulkhead may then be rolled on said bulb angles to any desired positiontransversely of the car. To secure the bulkhead in any selected positionthe stop blocks may be slid on the bulb angles until they engageopposite sides of the roller housing, and then a pin 78 is insertedthrough the registering holes in the stop blocks and the bulb anglewhich eflectively holds the bulkhead in position.

I claim:

1. The combination with a freight vehicle having spaced side walls, of abulb angle trolley track arranged longitu dinally of each side wallalong the upper margin thereof with a flange vertically disposed andsecured to said side wall, a flange horizontally disposed and the bulbupwardly disposed in spaced relation to said side walls, a bulkheadextending across said vehicle between said bulb angles, hollow rollerhousings at the upper outer corners of said bulkhead extending over saidbulb angles, rollers carried within said roller housings the lowersegment of said rollers projecting below said housings and reliable dongthe horizontal flange between the bulb and vertical flange of the bulbangle, said horizontal flange having longitudinally spaced openin stherethrough, stop blocks slidable along said bulb angles, one on eitherside of said roller housing, said stop blocks comprising spaced flangesoverlapping and underlapping said horizontal flange, said spaced flangeshaving spaced openings therethrough of different spacing than theopenings in said flange, to provide Vernier adjustment with saidhorizontal flange, said overlapping flange having a flange issuingnormally from its outer edge toward said underlapping flange,restricting the distance between said flanges to less than the width ofsaid bulb, and means securing said stop blocks to said bulb angles tothereby prevent movement of said bulkhead therealong.

2. The combination with a freight vehicle having spaced side Walls, of atrack arranged longitudinally along the upper margin of each side Wall,said track having a horizontally disposed flange provided withlongitudinally spaced holes therethrough and a vertically disposedflange issuing from the outer edge of said horizontal flange, alongitudinally movable transverse bulkhead extending transversely ofsaid vehicle between said tracks, means at the upper outer corners ofsaid bulkhead overlapping and movable along said tracks and supportingsaid bulkhead thereon, stop blocks comprising C-shaped members slidablealong said flange one on either side of said bulkhead and provided withspaced openings therethrough on different center spacing than theopenings through said flange, said C-shaped members provided with aflange overlapping said vertical flange of said track, and meansextendable through registering openings in said stop blocks and saidflange to secure said stop blocks to said flange and against saidbulkhead to thereby prevent movement of the bulkhead along said flange.

3. A movable bulkhead for a freight vehicle, comprising spaced flatouter sheets, a core between said sheets consisting of a plurality ofhorizontally disposed spaced, parallel, corrugated strips normal to theplane of and contacting along one of their edges one of said outersheets, a strap welded along one side to the ot er edge of said strips,the other of said sheets provided with randomly spaced openings oversaid straps and plug Welds therethrough securing said other sheet tosaid core, flanges issuing from the edges of one of said sheets andextending to and secured to the edges of the other of said sheets andforming a top and a bottom for said bulkhead, and reinforcement stripsbetween and normal to each adjacent pair of corrugated strips, andsecured along their edges to said opposed faces of said outer sheets.

References Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSMadison June 27, Kring Nov. 18,

ross Aug. 14, Gross June 3, Campbell et a1 Apr. 26, Butterworth Earn. 5,Nonbom Feb. 16, Sweeley et a1. Feb. 23, Gilpin Eune 21, Dixon Jan. 7,Koch Feb. 24, Clark May 12, Schey et a1. Feb. 17, MacDonnell Mar. 3,Newcomer et a1. July 14, Maharick Nov. 7,

1. THE COMBINATION WITH A FREIGHT VEHICLE HAVING SPACED SIDE WALLS, OF ABULB ANGLE TROLLEY TRACK ARRANGED LONGITUDINALLY OF EACH SIDE WALL ALONGTHE UPPER MARGIN THEREOF WITH A FLANGE VERTICALLY DISPOSED AND SECUREDTO SAID SIDE WALL, A FLANGE HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED AND THE BULB UPWARDLYDISPOSED IN SPACED RELATION TO SAID SIDE WALLS, A BULKHEAD EXTENDINGACROSS SAID VEHICLE BETWEEN SAID BULB ANGLES, HOLLOW ROLLER HOUSINGS ATTHE UPPER OUTER CORNERS OF SAID BULKHEAD EXTENDING OVER SAID BULBANGLES, ROLLERS CARRIED WITHIN SAID ROLLER HOUSINGS THE LOWER SEGMENT OFSAID ROLLERS PROJECTING BELOW SAID HOUSINGS AND ROLLABLE ALONG THEHORIZONTAL FLANGE BETWEEN THE BULB AND VERTICAL FLANGE OF THE BULBANGLE, SAID HORIZONTAL FLANGE HAVING LONGITUDINALLY SPACED OPENINGSTHERETHROUGH, STOP BLOCKS SLIDABLE ALONG SAID BULB ANGLES, ONE ON EITHERSIDE OF SAID ROLLER HOUSING, SAID STOP BLOCKS COMPRISING SPACED FLANGESOVERLAPPING AND UNDERLAPPING SAID HORIZONTAL FLANGE, SAID SPACED FLANGESHAVING SPACED OPENINGS THERETHROUGH OF DIFFERENT SPACING THAN THEOPENINGS IN SAID FLANGE, TO PROVIDE VERNIER ADJUSTMENT WITH SAIDHORIZONTAL FLANGE, SAID OVERLAPPING FLANGE HAVING A FLANGE ISSUINGNORMALLY FROM